Suspected flash mob rips off Upper Darby Sears (With Video)

A group of people enter the Sears on 69th Street in Upper Darby on Thursday afternoon. Police say about 40 members of flash mob from Philadelphia stole thousands of dollars of merchandise in minutes.

UPPER DARBY -- A mob of about 40 people stormed into the Sears department store on 69th Street Thursday, and in a flash stole thousands of dollars worth of merchandise, officials said.

Police were able to round up 15 juveniles and one adult, 19, all from West Philadelphia.

"They came in on the El train and hit Sears," police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said. "They stole sneakers, socks, watches, whatever they could get their hands on, and left.

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"Imagine the guts of this gang of young hoodlums. One was 11 years old. The others arrested ranged from 12 to 16 years old. They planned this out earlier in the day on a social networking site. It was pre-planned. They got on the El, got off at 69th Street Terminal and walked up the hill to Sears."

Kyree Marsh, 19, of the 5500 block of Spruce Street, Philadelphia, was arrested and charged with retail theft, conspiracy to retail theft and corruption of minors.

Police recovered some of the stolen sneakers and socks that were in the backpack of one of the individuals arrested and in the pockets of others taken into custody.

According to the affidavit, the Sears loss-prevention officer saw the mob enter the store at 7:09 p.m. on Thursday.

The group then began taking merchandise off the shelves.

"He watched the group enter the store together from the 69th Street entrance," Chitwood said. "It was fast. They ran out, leaving empty shoeboxes and store tags behind. Fortunately, no customers or store employees got hurt.

"Due to the quick response by police, we were able to grab them up. They were heading back to the El train."

According to Chitwood, the juveniles received citations for retail theft and will answer charges before the county's juvenile justice system.

"The parents should be held accountable," Chitwood said. "And where were the parents of the 11- and 12-year-olds when their children were riding into 69th street with a mob of teenagers? If I could, I would charge the parents. Certainly, this is unacceptable behavior. It was intentionally planned earlier in the day to gather and go to Upper Darby to rob and pillage. There has got to be consequences, and I don't mean a slap on the wrist. The county has got to send a strong message. This was a (pack) attack and will not be tolerated."